When Anxiety Becomes Aggravating

Anxiety disorders represent one of the most common mental illnesses, afflicting approximately one in 10 in the general population. In ordinary life, everyone experiences some form of anxiety. When a threatening situation is perceived, a life changing decision is made, a test result is expected, or good or bad news is anticipated, acute anxiety and heightened anticipation builds up and gradually fades once the stressful situation is resolved or removed.

Acute anxiety is therefore a necessary part of everyday life; however, chronic anxiety – continual anxious feelings which do not fade or diminish – can impede an individual’s ordinary functions, creating compulsive thoughts, irrational and obsessive fears, and unwanted and repeated eccentric behavior in otherwise normal, emotionally balanced individuals.

When anxiety begins to either gradually or suddenly take control of mental and behavioral functions, anxiety disorders develop. Without some type of medical or psychological treatment, anxiety disorders will persist. Such disorders typically fall into a broad range of categories.

Phobias

Phobias are intense fear reactions to specific objects, people or situations, often prompted by a previous negative experience with the feared situation, person or object. The most widespread of all anxiety disorders, some phobias are relatively common, such as the fear of snakes or spiders or the fear of flying.

Social Phobias

Social phobias are often particularly socially incapacitating and prevent phobia sufferers from leading so-called ‘normal’ social lives and forming relationships with people. Social phobia sufferers often wind up engaging in anti-social behavior and suffer from depression due to their lack of social skills and attendant isolation.

GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a general feeling of malaise, often manifesting in a general anxiety which spreads to all aspects of life. Constant worry about careers, finance, money, health and general welfare without any significant cause for such fear causes anxiety sufferers to regularly suffer from poor concentration, irritability, trembling, tension and shortness of breath.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder prompts unnecessary and often bizarre, repetitive behavior that is encouraged by the constant thought that omission of the compulsive act will result in destruction or impending disaster.

Panic Disorders

Panic disorders can be sudden or situation oriented and results in inappropriate and exaggerated physical and emotional responses in the body when confronted with false threats or danger. Panic attacks leave sufferers with frightening feelings of insanity and loss of control of mental facilities.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-Traumatic stress sufferers experience heightened levels of anxiety in the aftermath of a shock or stressful event such as a death or natural disaster. Normally, anxiety levels lessen over time; however, post traumatic sufferers find that anxiety and stress levels remain stable or increase with the passing of time.

Anxiety disorders frequently accompany other dangerous illnesses and conditions as well, such as anorexia, bulimia or substance dependence and one condition may lead to the other.

Anxiety disorders are not purely psychological in origin. Medical conditions, like thyroid problems, or anemia can cause long-term anxiety in sufferers. Physiology plays an important role, as does heredity. Changes in brain neurotransmitters, which are responsible for secreting hormones, which regulate anxiety, can also cause chronic long term anxiety disorders.

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Preventing Acute Anxiety from Becoming Chronic

For the majority of the population, anxiety, stress, fear and worry need do not cause illness, since strong feelings subside after the stressful situation has passed. Butterflies tend to abate once a speech has commenced before a large audience; fear immediately recedes when a mother learns that her son is unhurt and safe after a violent earthquake; and agitation passes after completing a two hour exam. Anxiety creates the necessary emotional and physical conditions for an individual to perform at his or her very best, under trying and sometimes very stressful circumstances.

Uncontrolled Anxiety

But in some cases anxiety levels do not recede; rather, they increase and remain constant, even when the stressful situation is absent. Anxiety becomes overwhelming and the affected individual will go to any length to avoid situations, objects and individuals that induce the feeling of panic. The mind and body begin to associate particular activities, objects and situations with overwhelming panic and emotions, individuals become conditioned to behave in ways that avoid confrontation with the disabling and anticipated anxiety, and are constantly living in a heightened state of tension.

In anxiety disorder sufferers the brain cortex takes only a few seconds to perceive a situation and initiate the body’s panic response, it then overuses the response, even with no apparent cause.

Anxiety begins to develop into a mental illness when it becomes excessive, frequent and intense without any real cause and refuses to subside but rather becomes less localized and more general. Fears that are completely irrational plague the sufferer and he or she will have problems concentrating and performing every day activities.

Controlling Anxiety

Taking proactive steps to reduce general anxiety can be extremely helpful in coping with stressful circumstances and preventing intense anxiety from degenerating into a full-blown anxiety disorder. In many cases, following an at-home, self-treatment therapy course such as Panic Away can even cure or greatly diminish anxiety disorders without the need for formal treatment. Some suggestions for self treatment include:

*Learn relaxation techniques. Breathing techniques and relieving everyday stress through relaxing methods and using fluid poses in yoga, tai chi, or meditation dissolves tension and reduces the accumulation of anxiety. Numerous scientific studies, beginning in the 1970’s, have reported that yoga improves mood, beats depression and reduces anxiety, making it an effective treatment for controlling mood and mental disorders, and making the nervous system less reactive. Indulging in regular aromatherapy, music therapy and massage can also have a relaxing effect on the body.

*Get regular sleep, eat balanced meals, and engage in aerobic exercise. Adequate sleep and proper rest is essential to reducing irritability and regular exercise boosts the body’s natural endorphin levels, which are known to release tension. Anxiety is also linked to nutritional deficiencies in many studies, illustrating the importance of supplementing the diet with high quality, premium nutritional supplements.

*Focus upon positive thoughts and create a tension releasing ritual. Positive thinking may become difficult as the mind continually fills itself with negative thoughts. Encouraging the mind with happier thoughts can enable sufferers to be better prepared to deal with anxious thoughts and fears.

*Develop a social network. Creating bonds and cultivating relationships can create outlets for sadness and tension and discourage social isolation. Developing a social network with understanding and caring people can make it much easier to cope with anxiety symptoms.

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The CBT Self-Help Solution for Panic Attack Sufferers

While panic attacks alone are not dangerous, living under the constant fear and threat of an impending attack is socially and emotionally incapacitating. Fortunately, panic attacks can be controlled, lessened and even eliminated altogether, by taking control of the underlying anxiety fuelling the panic attacks through self, group or individual therapy.

Many sufferers often combine therapeutic options with drug therapy. Anti-anxiety and anti-depressant drugs can be used to successfully eliminate panic attack symptoms altogether, however due to drug dependence risks and ineffectiveness after drug therapy cessation, the lifelong use of anti-anxiety or anti-depressant drugs is undesirable to control attacks.

What is desirable, however, is controlling anxiety and eliminating the underlying fears which prompt attacks through private and group coaching and CBT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. For those interested in pursuing self-therapy, a large number of self-treatment CDs and private workshops are based upon conquering panic using CBT-like techniques.

CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a patient-centered series of sessions which teaches sufferers to manage panic attacks in various stages, culminating with practicing stress coping techniques in low anxiety situations, to desensitize the patient to the potential panic trigger. In many cases, the brain is “conditioned” to elicit a particular panic response to various stressors, so Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a process of “de-conditioning” these automatic reactions and reconditioning the body and mind to behave and think differently to no longer recognize ordinary situations as inherent dangers or threats.

The process concentrates on handling, coping with, mastering and then eventually completely overcoming panic attacks. Modified versions of CBT are offered through many online courses, clinics, and self help treatment programs with high success rates.

CBT concentrates upon eliminating the behaviors and thoughts associated with stimulating panic attacks, and replacing them with positive thinking practices and behaviors to help sufferers cope in various stages.

Stages of Coping

In the first stage, patients learn about panic itself. Education and awareness about what causes panic is the first step to self-mastery over the problem. Anxiety is accepted as a natural and normal response; panic however is regarded as an excessive and inappropriate response in ordinary circumstances. Not only does the patient learn why panic attacks happen, the patient also learns that the core assumptions believed by panic attack sufferers – for example, that the sufferer will die, or that the sufferer is having a nervous breakdown – are untrue as well.

Behavioral patterns are also changed as well, with step two teaching sufferers effective breathing techniques that induce relaxation and create calmness. Shallow, rapid breathing encourages hypertension which only stimulates panic attack symptoms. Deep, even, abdominal based breathing not only creates a physiological feeling of calmness and relaxation, but also gives patients a psychological feeling of self control. This is combined with the stage three instruction on how to handle and distract panic thoughts and turn them into positive reinforcing thoughts.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy then concludes with the ultimate challenge: practicing anxiety-coping skills in controlled low-anxiety situations. Patients will soon realize that the thoughts, beliefs and fears underlying the panic attacks are excessive, eccentric and unnecessary. The sufferer will then gradually elevate to medium anxiety situations, then high anxiety situations, until finally panic attacks diminish in frequency and severity and eventually disappear.

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Tapping Mental Energy

Thought processes are another very useful form of energy that nature has blessed us with. Thoughts that cross the mind every day are composed of energy. Everything that has ever been accomplished began as a basic thought in the mind of a visionary. That thought energized creativity and stimulated the imagination that ultimately produced the end result. Thought energy is the first step toward manifesting reality. All successful men and women throughout history have been able to tap into this energy. The end result unfortunately has not always been for the betterment of mankind.

Controlled thoughts are the first step toward creating the energy necessary to realize such ideas in a concrete manner. A mind filled with disconnected thoughts and ideas cannot focus long enough to create sufficient energy needed to start the process, and will never reach a successful conclusion.

Mind Capabilities

Those who consistently succeed have disciplined their minds to focus upon the possibilities of an idea, rather than upon the negatives of why the idea might not work. Thinking in negative circles with fear and doubt will never produce the energy necessary for the completion of a worthwhile goal. The first step to any productivity is through channeling thoughts toward a central purpose, creating and setting a goal and manifesting the goal through a series of steps.

The mind harnesses great stores of power, and negative thoughts can (in part) create a negative life. It is entirely possible to eliminate bad habits such as smoking simply through the use and power of the mind. In fact, hypnotherapy and NLP therapy are examples of manipulating behavior by manipulating unconscious thoughts and core beliefs.

Why is it then so hard to eliminate bad habits? Much has to do with the programming that has been instilled since childhood. Parental examples, one’s circle of negative minded friends and the news media that projects the worst of human nature have all played a role in shaping our thought patterns. We grew to believe we were not sufficiently intelligent, attractive, successful or youthful. A string of failures trained us to believe that we were not capable of doing certain activities.

For the majority, the main hurdle arises in trying to banish negative thoughts and controlling thought processes to tap into positive mental energy.

Banishing Negative Thoughts

The first step in controlling negative thoughts is acknowledging that their existence and challenging these thought traits. Thus, the next time a negative thought arises, honestly ask yourself, “is this true? “What evidence in my life is there to support this thought?” This helps to identify doubts and negative thoughts that are untrue and will also reverse these negative trends and incorrect perceptions. Then, reverse the negative thought by turning it into a compliment. “At least I maintained my diet for the past four days, my jeans feel looser and my energy levels have risen.” Remain positive even in the face of criticism and exercise this technique daily, so that positive thinking will arise naturally and automatically.

Experiences, culture, age and personality have little to do with tapping into mental energy and each of us has the power to create one’s own utopia. It only requires a positive change in thought to move closer towards reaching your personal goals.

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When Panic Strikes Without Stopping

Panic is a form of short term anxiety and is a natural self-defensive mechanism in response to a perceived threat or danger. The body’s autonomic system activates a physical and emotional retaliation and initiates the “fight or flight” response, to control bodily functions and psychological reactions in situations of acute stress. Respiration and heart rates increase, the endocrine system secretes adrenalin and cortisol and the immune system shuts down, temporarily blocking feelings of pain.

And while this is a natural and normal response to impending danger, when there is no danger, or where the danger or threat is false or unnaturally high in response to the actual stimuli, the self-protective “fight or flight” response provokes an unnecessary and inappropriate panic reaction that for millions of panic disorder sufferers worldwide is distressing, disturbing and debilitating.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-IV-TR, at least four of the following physical and psychological symptoms must be present in a panic attack: elevated respiration and heart rate, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, feelings of doom, destruction or impending death, sensations of helplessness, insanity or loss of control, dizzy spells, compulsive thoughts, overwhelming fear, chills or shakiness and malaise in public places.

Manifestations of a Panic Attack

Extreme panic manifests itself in the form of attacks in about 2% of the general population, at least twice as often in women as men, and most commonly in individuals between the ages of 16 and 40. A typical attack lasts an average of 10 minutes, but sometimes lasts as long as 30-45 minutes in length.

Accompanying panic attacks is often a moderate to severe form of depression, present in approximately 50% of panic disorder sufferers. Panic attacks can be sudden and spontaneous, more predictable and situational, or less predictable and situational. Experiencing a panic attack is not medically harmful; however, if left untreated, repeated panic attacks can impair social functioning, encourage isolation, lead to depression, self-harm or even suicide.

Different Types of Panic Attacks

Spontaneous (uncued) panic attacks can occur without any warning at any given moment. An unprovoked feeling of nervousness and apprehension suddenly settles, triggering the onset of the attack. The most difficult type of panic attack to cope with because of its unpredictability, sufferers often isolate themselves and avoid social settings, to prevent potential public embarrassment should an impromptu attack arise in public. Worrying about the next attack continues to fuel the panic. Often a professional analysis of the patterns of previous attacks reveals trends or certain situational stressors, hitherto unknown to the sufferer.

Situational (cued) panic attacks are in response to particular phobias and specific situational stressors. Such panic attacks arise only in controlled situations, and the sufferer does not experience attacks when removed from the threatening context. Exposure to the stressful situation, or threat, fear or anticipation of exposure to the stressful situation is the prerequisite for the panic attack.

Situational panic attacks tend to be sporadic and while a particular situation is a known cause of the attack, being in the stressful situation does not invariably cause an attack in the predisposed sufferer. This type of panic attack responds particularly well and rapidly to treatment options.

When it comes to treating panic disorders, there is no such thing a magic pill that will eliminate the condition in one day. But there are good programs that better equip you to deal with your panic attacks. If you want to experience a rapid reduction in unpleasant sensations, regain feelings of control, and through practice, eliminate this condition entirely. I recommend : Panic Away Program by Barry Joey McDonagh.

Curing Anxiety Disorders with Herbal Therapy

As alternatives or supplementary therapies to conventional pharmaceuticals and drug treatments, herbal therapies are helpful in treating a whole host of medical and mental disorders, using natural medicine.

Anxiety disorders can respond particularly well to herbal therapies, as many herbs are renowned and historically known to be sedatives and relaxants. Many herbs are readily available in capsule nutritional supplement formulas or as powders for easy consumption. Before considering herbal therapies as a self-treatment or complementary option, proper medical consultation is required since herbs can often interfere with various medications and interact adversely with the effect of other therapies. To this effect, herbal therapy should be carefully pursued and treated as a drug therapy like any other.

Ongoing research, albeit often still inconclusive, continues to link several herbs to the reduction of anxiety and the alleviation of stress and tension. Currently, the four most promising herbs in anti-anxiety drug therapy include Kava Kava, Ginseng, Valerian, and St. John’s Wort. Although not herbs, the minerals zinc and magnesium also seem to play a role in reducing stress and anxiety. These can be used in addition to an anti-anxiety program; be it hypnotherapy or a specialized program specifically formulated to desensitize thought patterns and release the automatic anxious response.

Kava Kava

Also called Kava, this herb has an ancient reputation as a lifter of spirit. Modern clinical studies cautiously advocate the use of Kava in anxiety therapies, although conclusive studies have only so far noted limited improvements in anxiety with the use of this herb. A meta-analysis of 62 medical studies reviewed and published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews indicates that the herb may produce a positive effect in relieving anxiety. Participating doctors in the study did caution that the size of the effect seemed to be small and recommended more conclusive studies. Kava is also currently banned in several nations due to a possible association with toxicity. Future studies are being conducted to better substantiate both links to toxicity and anxiety alleviation.

Ginseng

This multipurpose herb provides many benefits and has been used as an accompanying treatment in cancer and diabetes patients and also in sufferers of Alzheimer’s. Two recent studies, one performed at the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences in Calcutta, confirmed that the herb contains GABA like effects, known to calm the body. GABA (Gamma Amino Butryic Acid) is a neurotransmitter of the brain which acts as an inhibiter, inducing calmness.

Valerian

The plant Valerian has been subjected to numerous tests regarding the safety and efficacy of its consumption to treat anxiety-related cases. One small 1993 study showed that Valerian was able to help induce sleep and may play a role in banishing depression. Evidence is still insufficient but the plant has an ancient reputation of anxiety healing, and was widely used in ancient Greece and Rome.

St. John’s Wort

A commonly prescribed natural anti-depressant which is used to treat mild to moderate cases, St. John’s Wort may play more of an active part in helping to diminish generalized anxiety disorder. The herb is known to inhibit several anxiety inducing neurotransmitters in the brain, although the effect is gradual and results are noted only after many months of use. The compound hypericin found in St. John’s Wort was once thought to interfere with the body’s production of a natural anti-depressant but recent studies have refuted this belief, paving the way for more widespread use of the herb in anti-anxiety cases.

Situational Vs Spontaneous Panic Disorder: How to Know

The onset of a panic attack can be an unpredictable and unnatural bodily response to a false sense of danger or, depending upon the sufferer, a predictable manifestation of a deeply ingrained or specific phobia.

A 1991 study conducted by the Psychiatry Service at West Haven Veterans Administration Medical Center, revealed that, “within a given person, situational and spontaneous panic attacks did not significantly differ over a number of characteristics, including severity, duration, frequency per week, diurnal distribution, and the number of symptoms per attack.” No apparent distinctions exist between spontaneous panic attack symptoms and situational panic attack symptoms; in both cases the attack is characterized by a terrifying experience filled with feelings of loss of control and helplessness, and similar physical and psychological responses. Treatments for both disorder types include anti-anxiety drug treatments, anti-depressant prescriptions, cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT, and exposure therapy.

Anti-anxiety self-treatment can also be helpful in alleviating anxiety that triggers both types of attacks.

Spontaneous (Uncued) Panic Attacks

Spontaneous panic attacks are unexpected, indiscriminate and random, manifesting with no apparent situational trigger and can be therefore difficult to predict and hence control. The onset of a spontaneous attack is “out of the blue” and unpredictable with no apparent phobia, environmental or situational trigger prompting it, making spontaneous panic attacks impossible to anticipate. Individuals who experience spontaneous attacks often develop agoraphobia, a fear of public places, due to the constant worry of experiencing an unforeseen panic attack in a public place. This uncertainty becomes a recurrent worry in the sufferers’ mind which continually fuels the panic disorder. Sometimes, a pattern of predictability is not immediately evident. Sufferers of spontaneous panic attacks should review the history of attacks to identify any situational similarities in prior attacks.

Situational (Cued) Panic Attacks

Situational panic attacks, on the other hand, are more often than not manifestations of specific and deeply ingrained phobias, and occur frequently in agoraphobics. Encountering or anticipating an encounter with the trigger is enough to prompt a panic attack. Sufferers find that avoiding exposure to the catalyst, the panic attack’s “cue”, can control predictable panic attacks, although simply avoiding the trigger is often impossible or inhibiting, especially when the situational fear involves every day activities such as driving, or being in public spaces. In addition, sufferers who avoid public places do so to prevent contact with a feared situational catalyst that may spark a panic response and thus develop an intense phobia of public settings. Common panic inducing situations include driving in traffic, visiting the dentist, using elevators and waiting for appointments.

While situational panic attacks are predictable, in some sufferers’ exposure to, or even the fear of exposure to, the trigger does not invariably provoke a panic attack. The anxiety sufferer is predisposed to attack but with therapy and treatment can gradually overcome and master the situational phobia that precipitates panic and feelings of vulnerability. Creating positive, anxiety-reducing habits such as replacing everyday negative thoughts with positive reinforcement thinking and consistently developing muscle control through daily isometric exercises are helpful in reducing tension and give sufferers a sense of control in a panic situation to avoid the onset of a predictable or potential attack. A great way to deal with panic attacks is to follow a good program.

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